Someone Else
by Cereal-Killa
Summary: Maybe that had been his intention, but maybe he was proud of punching Duncan for another. Courtney/Cody! :D


A/N: OK, OK, I know some of you are looking at this couple oddly. But I just read a story by one of forum buddies, nikki-kun05, and I just fell head over heels with the couple! I highly suggest reading her story! :D

So, I decided that maybe I could switch things up a little bit. I've been writing D/C over the top, and it's about time I let Courtney get some Cody-action. XD

So, on with the one-shot:

**Someone Else**

Summary: _Maybe that had been his intention, but maybe he was proud of punching Duncan for another. _

If there was one thing Cody could say about punching someone, it had to be that it was invigorating.

He had yet to get in any actual tussle with someone. Most people guessed that maybe he wasn't the one who threw fists, moreover the one who had gotten the crud beat out of him a few times.

Cody had actually never really fought before though. Never had anyone on his back about anything. Yeah, he'd annoyed a few people, made them shout some threats, but then again, what scrawny kid with a sense of humor hadn't had a few instances where his face was close to being pummeled?

He had never understood why some people liked to pick fights anyway. Nothing about it was all that attractive- bruises, trouble, blood. What good was to come out of any of that?

Besides. He was a peace maker, a kind person. He would have never predicted that he would have to punch somebody on the reality show, much less during his lifetime.

He wasn't thinking when he did it. All he could think of was Gwen, her lips on Duncan's. For some reason, even though he had always felt like this might happen, he was hurt. Much more hurt than he thought he would be.

Cody looked to Gwen, but it was off. Something was weird. So Duncan cheated. And Gwen hid this kiss from everybody.

…And she liked it?

Maybe it was just because Cody was nice to Gwen, maybe because he did so much for her, maybe because he thought about her all the time, but either way, knowing that she liked Duncan broke his heart.

And his fist just flew out. It wasn't a normal punch. His body didn't fly out all gracefully or in slow motion like it did in the movies. All he could think of was knocking Duncan out cold.

He was aware that his face was twisted with rage and that he looked hurt and that it was all over national television, that his parents and brothers and sisters had just seen him punch this guy who was almost two feet taller than him.

It felt awesome.

If there was anyone he could relate with right then, he knew it was Courtney. She looked confused, and then angry, and then just plain hurt. And then her lips curled into a smile. She told him to stop. And she smirked evilly at Gwen.

And as much as he wanted to turn his back on Gwen, as much as he wanted to be like Courtney and have the strength to just _hate _her…

He couldn't. He started to flap those stupid wings and he won the stupid challenge.

But for some reason, when he looked at his team, he was surprised to see Gwen still staring at Duncan, not himself. She wasn't looking at Cody, the one who had just saved her from elimination, wasn't appreciating him. She was still chasing after somebody else. Always someone else.

Never him.

He was surprised at himself when all he could think was that maybe he should have let her be eliminated, maybe he should have gotten his revenge.

He was surprised, but he didn't feel bad about it at all. Because she never cared what he did. It was always someone else.

Courtney wasn't one to get worked up over such little things- OK, OK, maybe she was- but she usually wasn't one to have so much pent up anger- also a lie, when wasn't she angry? She wanted to feel horrible about all of this, but moreover, it was the same feelings she got when normal things happened to her. Wasn't she supposed to be pissed? Wasn't she supposed to be crying?

I mean, her boyfriend had just cheated on her for god sakes, and it wasn't even that big a deal?

She felt her face crumple in confusion when she admitted that no, it really wasn't.

She decided to do what she had done when Harold had wronged her- list some ways to torture them. Maybe Chinese Water Torture (oh, that's a good one), or maybe the stretcher (eh, too amateur). Maybe she could-

She stopped.

Cody was rubbing his knuckles in awe, as though reliving the feeling of his fist meeting Duncan's cheek. His light blue eyes held a hint of a smile, but his brow was furrowed, his lips in a loose frown that Courtney suggested meant he was sad because his attempts at pining for Gwen hadn't exactly won her over like he had planned.

She smirked at him, but then wiped it off her face. A smirk was something Duncan would do. She frowned at him, but a smile still pulled at the corner of her lips (she couldn't help herself). "Great job punching Duncan today." She truly meant it. As much as she had come to be so defensive over Duncan, all traces of that protectiveness had vanished with his and Gwen's kiss. The sound of Duncan's jaw being crushed was like music to her ears now.

Cody looked up at her, surprised that she was even talking to him. She never really talked to him, much less spoken to him kindly. "Thanks." He said quietly.

Things were awkward for a second. He felt like maybe Sierra might pop out or something to break the ice, but then he tried to push that thought away. Better not to jinx himself.

"So, you know," he began, trying to make small talk. She was staring at her fingers, looking sad, not reaching his eyes when he spoke to her, "He was never really good enough for you. I mean, he always tried to act all cool and stuff." At first, Cody wondered why he was being so nice. It was weird when he realized that he wasn't just saying this to comfort her, but because he actually meant it- "You deserve someone better than him."

For the first time since she had spoken with him, she looked him in the eye. She slumped down in the seat beside him, needing a friend. With Gwen counted out for new 'best buddy', she didn't know where to turn. At the thought of this, she felt her eyes start to well up with tears.

She mentally slapped herself for even starting to break down, but it didn't matter. Her eyes were wet anyways, the tears already pouring out. "Like who?" It was terrible. She had never been serious with anyone but Duncan.

Courtney sniffed, wallowing in self pity. She was a failure. Usually, she wasn't one to be so depressed, but the full weight of the situation was finally clear to her, and it was pushing her down more and more. She wondered how she ever thought that anyone could ever really love her.

Cody wasn't sure what to do with a crying girl. All he knew was that he had to make her feel better. Who were some guys who were better than Duncan? Well, a thousand different names came to Cody's mind, people who could replace Duncan, this guy, that guy, any guy but Duncan. But for some reason, maybe because he was so hurt due to Gwen, maybe because he was feeling sorry for Courtney, but for some reason, he said his next words.

"Me."

Both Cody and Courtney's mind did a cartwheel.

_WHAT?_

They looked at each other for a moment, both of them speechless, neither of them able to help jumping when the plane door clicked open.

Gwen walked up nervously. Courtney gave her a death glare, wiping away her tears, getting up from the seat next to Cody. Her fingers touched his thigh, and he could have sworn that he felt small sparks zip through his body.

He watched look at Gwen, watched how her face curled, watched how her small freckles danced on her face, how she turned back to Cody, how her eyes lingered longer on him than they usually did. But she didn't say a word. She walked out, bumping Gwen on the shoulder harshly before sliding through the door.

Cody wasn't sure if he was glad to see Gwen or not.

All he knew was that he was a bit sad to see Courtney go.

Gwen sat across from him, not beside him like Courtney had. "You know," she started, and Cody could see a small pink mark on her neck. So she had been with Duncan. Just great. "There was no reason to punch Duncan like that earlier." Of course Cody knew what she was implying, that he had done it all for her.

He felt himself scowl. Because maybe that had been his intention, but maybe he was proud of punching Duncan for another reason all together.

He thought of Courtney, thought of her tears, of her fingers dancing on his thigh and making him breathless.

Maybe, for once, it wasn't because of Gwen.

But someone else.

A/N: OK, well, hope that wasn't too OOC…

Thanks for reading!


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